


The Dream Quest

by AFSTexaCali93



Series: Star Trek: Voyager - Delta Chronicles [1]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Bonding, Brainwashing, Captain's Assistant, Celebrity Appearance, Drama, Dream World, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enya (Musician) - Freeform, Episode: s02e21 Deadlock, Episode: s02e23 The Thaw, Episode: s03e15 Coda, False Memories, Friendship, Gen, Mentor/Protégé, Repressed Memories, Singing, Spirit Guides, Suspense, Visions, season 5, sickbay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-10-29 17:52:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10859070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AFSTexaCali93/pseuds/AFSTexaCali93
Summary: ON HIATUS!!!!! May revise the story.After a series of traumatizing nightmares, Naomi is suddenly afraid of Captain Janeway. But when she decides to talk about them, her cerebral cortex is invaded by an alien life form and she falls into a coma. Janeway must go on a dream quest to find Naomi's consciousness and help her fight her nightmares. But she realizes that an enemy from the past has returned and wants revenge. Can Janeway and Naomi survive this nightmare with the help of an unexpected visitor?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place sometime after Season 5's "Once Upon a Time"

The subspace wave had passed over _Voyager_  after ten minutes, but the turbulence it caused made it seem like forever. The entire bridge crew was jostled.  
  
“Report,” Captain Janeway ordered.  
  
“There was minor damage on Decks 6 through 9,” Harry reported, “But there are no signs of a hull breach.”  
  
“Janeway to Engineering”  
  
*Torres here.*  
  
“What’s the status of the warp core?”  
  
*No damage to the warp core. Everything down here seems to be holding up. But we are going to run diagnostics just in case.*  
  
“Proceed. Janeway out.” Janeway walked back to her chair. “Mr. Tuvok, scan the entire area for any more subspace waves.”  
  
“No incoming subspace waves detected,” he reported.  
  
Janeway was about to give another order when she heard the communication chime.  
  
*Neelix to Janeway.*  
  
“Go ahead.”  
  
*Please report to Sickbay. Something’s wrong with Naomi!*  
  
Janeway’s eyes widened as she felt her heart drop into her stomach. “On my way!”  
  
She turned to Chakotay as she headed for the turbolift, “Commander, you have the bridge.”  
  
“Aye, Captain," Chakotay answered. He shared her concerned for _Voyager_ 's youngest crew member, but he had his orders. She'd very likely fill him in later.

 

***

  
Kathryn made it to Sickbay as fast as she could.  
  
Samantha rushed over to her. “Oh, Captain,” she answered, her voice filled with fear, “Thank goodness you’re here!”  
  
Kathryn rushed over to the surgical bay, where an unconscious Naomi lay.  
  
“Naomi?” Kathryn gently nudged her with her hand, but Naomi did not respond.  
  
“I’m afraid I’ve tried every method possible to wake her, but to no avail.” The Doctor said as he walked in.  
  
“What happened to her?” Kathryn asked.  
  
“Naomi and I were having a chat about the nightmares she has been having for the past five days,” Neelix answered, “Then, when the ship shook, she took the standard safety precautions and hid under the desk. Once the shaking stopped, she screamed. But when I got to her, she was unconscious.”  
  
_Nightmares?_ Kathryn was instantly curious, but there was a more dire situation at hand.  
  
“I’ll need to run some scans on her to determine what it is that placed her in this condition,” the Doctor said. “Captain, Neelix, I’m afraid you two will have to leave. Ensign, you can stay here as long as you let me work."  
  
“Keep us posted,” Kathryn commanded the Doctor before turning to Samantha. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”  
  
As they left Sickbay, Kathryn asked Neelix, “When you said you two were discussing the nightmares Naomi’s been having, did she say what they were about? Anything I should know?”  
  
Neelix hesitated, “Naomi originally didn’t want you to know, but seeing as now she’s possibly in danger, you might be the only one who can help her.”  
  
Kathryn was confused, “What was it she didn’t want me to know?”  
  
“Uhh…” Neelix didn’t know where to begin, “Perhaps we should discuss this in private.”

  
  
***

  
  
Once the duo made it to Ensign Wildman’s quarters, Neelix gave his captain a detailed recollection of Naomi’s nightmares as described to him.  
  
“According to Naomi, in her dream, she was eager to start her first day as Captain’s Assistant, but then there was a man’s voice telling her that that was the worst idea because the captain of _Voyager_ was a vicious monster who was responsible for making the lives of everyone on the ship miserable.”  
  
Kathryn’s eyes widened in shock. "Did she believe that?”  
  
“She didn’t want to, but then she was shown images that seemed to traumatize her to the point where she felt she had no choice but to believe what she saw.” Neelix looked down at the ground. “In one scene, you actually threw her out the airlock for no reason.”  
  
“My God,” Kathryn’s stomach pinched. “What a nightmare! I’m the captain of this ship and I’m feeling sick to my stomach just hearing this. Real or not, it’s no wonder she suddenly decided to give up being Captain’s Assistant.”  
  
One question plagued her mind. “Seeing that she has a vast memory and a big imagination for a child her age, how do you think she got the impression I was a vicious monster?"  
  
"I don't know, and neither did she," Neelix answered sadly.  
  
"It is common for a child in a starship to be somewhat wary of their captain because they see them as a god-like figure," Kathryn rationalized, "But I don't remember saying or doing anything that would instill that kind of fear in her."  
  
"Nothing other than when she saw you in that standoff between the Jorgarzons last week in the mess hall," Neelix theorized.  
  
"Those two Jorgarzons didn't want an alliance between _Voyager_ and the Jorgarzon Council, so they tried to assassinate the Head Council Leader. Naomi accidentally bore witness to that."  
  
"You weren't vicious at all, but it was tense. And given how sensitive Naomi is--"  
  
"That could've done it," Kathryn finished. "I heard Naomi hyperventilating after I bid my well wishes to the other guests before they were escorted to Transporter Room 2. I should've said something to her, but she had already left. I wasn't aware of how much that scared her."  
  
“Yeah,” Neelix answered glumly, “Samantha and I have tried explaining to her that you were just protecting everyone on the ship and that deep down, you are a very, very nice person. We even had Commander Chakotay give her his perspective of you, but we weren't certain that it helped.”  
  
Kathryn looked down, a deeper sense of worry setting in. Like she would any member of the crew, she wanted Naomi to feel that she could count on her to get them out of any kind of trouble that was sure to come their way, even when she knew she probably wasn't the best leader of what became an entire starship community.  
  
“But then today…” Neelix began  
  
Kathryn’s ears perked, “What?”  
  
“Just before the subspace wave hit, Samantha and I showed Naomi the video message you made for her when she was a baby, and she seemed to finally get the message. She actually told me that she was preparing herself to talk to you whenever you were available and possibly get to know you better. She felt terrible for avoiding you."  
  
“How could she not?” Kathryn hung her head low, “She looks up to me, even though we both know I'm probably the worst role model she could have."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Neelix asked in protest.  
  
"How can a captain who gets her crew stranded in an uncharted part of the galaxy for almost five years even expect the ship's only child on board to trust her to make the best decisions? Hell, I won't be surprised if I get thrown in jail for all the bad choices I made once we return to the Alpha Quadrant."  
  
Neelix put his arm around her shoulders, trying to reassure her. "Whatever you may have done in the past shouldn't necessarily reflect on what you need to do for her and everyone else here. Besides, not everything on this journey was bad. Look around, you made an excellent crew out of Starfleet crewmen and former Maquis rebels, gave a hologram meant for emergencies a life of his own, and freed a Borg drone from the Collective."  
  
"And if all that hadn't happened," Kathryn deduced, "we wouldn't have met you and Kes and made you both an integral part of this crew."  
  
"And you still have me," Neelix added, "and as long as I can help it, you always will. And right now, there's a little crew member who needs her captain"  
  
A genuine smile formed on Kathryn's face. "You're right." She gave Neelix a hug. He was surprised by this uncharacteristic move, but he returned the hug eagerly.  
  
"Everyone is depending on me to get them home, or at the very least, guide them through this life filled with uncertainty," Kathryn said as they parted, "I may not be the best leader, but what matters is that I don't lose faith in myself, so they won't lose faith in me. I also have to remind myself of all the people here who have stood by me throughout it all. Now, more than ever, Naomi needs my help in any way possible."  
  
Neelix nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Now there's just one thing left," Kathryn said, "You said that Naomi was just about ready to talk to me about her nightmares, and then this happens."  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"I'm starting to think that something is not right," Kathryn answered worriedly.  
  
Suddenly the comm signal chimed and the Doctor's voice echoed.  
  
*Sickbay to the Captain.*  
  
Kathryn tapped her comm badge, "Go ahead."  
  
*I just finished my neural scans on Naomi and I found something you're not going to like.*  
  
Kathryn and Neelix looked at one another with panicked expressions as they darted out of Ensign Wildman's quarters. "We're on our way."

  
  
***

  
Neelix could tell how scared Kathryn was feeling because once they reached the doors to Sickbay, she nearly pushed him out of the way.  
  
"Report!" Kathryn ordered, nearly out of breath from running. She looked over to the office to see Tom trying to comfort a distraught Samantha.  
  
The Doctor led Kathryn to the monitor where a map of Naomi's nervous system was displayed, his face showing his failed attempt to mask his grave concern. "I'm afraid that someone, or something, from our previous encounter has reared its ugly head and is now threatening Naomi's life."  
  
Kathryn took one hard look at the monitor and was completely aghast at what she saw: a green cloud was cast over Naomi's entire brain!  
  
"Please tell me that isn't what I think it is!" Kathryn's voice was filled with horror.  
  
"I'm afraid it is," the Doctor said glumly.  
  
Neelix looked at the monitor over Kathryn's shoulder. "What is that?"  
  
The Doctor sighed, "It's a kind of alien life form. We didn't know exactly what to call it at first. We now call it the Coda. It invades the cerebral cortex. It actively resists any outside attempt to neutralize it. In the imminent moment of a person's death, the alien creates a hallucination and disguises itself as a loved one, possibly one who's deceased, and tries to convince the victim to cross into its own world, sort of like an afterlife."  
  
Kathryn looked at a horrified Neelix, who clearly wasn't familiar with this particular life form. "Almost two years ago, the shuttle Commander Chakotay and I were in crashed onto an uncharted M-class planet ravaged by plasma storms," she told him. "I was critically injured and the Coda invaded my cerebral cortex. It created an alternate reality where I witnessed my own death and disguised itself as my father in an attempt to take me to its world."  
  
"How did you survive?" Neelix asked.  
  
"For a moment," Kathryn answered, "it looked like I wasn't going to. What the Coda showed me was realistic enough for me to almost believe it. Suddenly, my consciousness flashed and I could see the Doctor treating me with Chakotay and Tuvok watching. I could hear them telling me to fight it off, and that's when I realized what I was seeing wasn't real. The Coda was desperate, but it needed me to voluntarily surrender before it could kill me. And when I resisted, it eventually gave up, but not without warning me that once my time came, I would nourish it for a long, long time."  
  
Neelix stared at her, unable to find a response to her story.  
  
Kathryn turned back to the Doctor, "Doctor, the last time this happened, the Coda invaded me right when I was on the brink of death." She then looked at Naomi. "Was Naomi close to death?"  
  
"No," the Doctor shook his head, "Besides what's been going on, she was perfectly fine. My other scans showed that she was nowhere near death."  
  
Now Kathryn was confused. "Then why would it attack her in the first place?" She walked over to Naomi's side.  
  
"I don't know," the Doctor answered sadly, "but we need to figure out how to stop it immediately. If we don't, given her current status, she will die sometime in the next twelve hours."  
  
Kathryn could feel her heart filling with despair. "Oh, Naomi..." She held Naomi's hand in hers as she tried to fight off the urge to break down in tears.


	2. Chapter 2

Kathryn paced around the ready room, each step feeling heavier than normal. She hated feeling helpless, especially at a time like this. She racked her brain for any possible way to help Naomi in what was now a fight for her life against the Coda, but was unable to come up with a solution. And every second that passed was a second that could've been spent in Sickbay, working on a possible solution. An hour had gone by, and time was short.  
  
As she continued to pace around the room, the door chimed.  
  
"Come in," she answered.  
  
Chakotay walked in, PADD in hand. "Here are the reports on the ship-wide maintenance that you asked for."  
  
"Thank you," Kathryn replied, taking the PADD before setting it on her desk, "I'll look at it later."  
  
Chakotay stepped closer to her. "You've been in here by yourself for about an hour and no one's heard from you."  
  
"Has it been an hour already?" Kathryn gasped, her tone hardening as her frustration spilled out, “Damn it, I shouldn't be standing here doing nothing! The Doctor should know by now that I hate waiting on the sidelines feeling useless! I wanted to stay in sickbay by her side, but no, he kicks me out like I’m someone who stays long after visiting hours are over! One of these days, I’m going to—“ She stopped once she saw the shocked expression on Chakotay’s face.  
  
"Are you alright?" Chakotay asked.  
  
Kathryn looked at him and sighed. She felt there was no point in trying to hide her emotions from him this time. “Honestly, no I’m not.”  
  
“Is it about Naomi?”  
  
Kathryn sat on the sofa and motioned for Chakotay to join her.  
  
“Naomi’s brain has been invaded by the Coda,” she answered, struggling to hold back her tears.  
  
“What?!” Chakotay was horrified. “How is this possible?”  
  
“The Doctor hasn’t been able to figure that out,” Kathryn answered, “but unless something is done in the next eleven hours, we’ll lose Naomi.”  
  
“Samantha must be devastated,” Chakotay said, with fear evident in his tone.  
  
“She is,” Kathryn nodded, “Neelix too.”  
  
“And you?”  
  
The way Chakotay was looking at her when he asked pierced through Kathryn’s defenses. "Ever since Naomi was born, she's been a part of this crew," Kathryn explained, "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel very close to her. I may not have spent a lot of time with her aside from special events, but I watched over her from afar. As she was growing up and I was informed of her development by Samantha and Neelix, I felt a strong urge to take her under my wing and guide her on this journey. When Samantha informed me of Naomi's intention to become Captain's Assistant, that urge grew stronger. Then she had those nightmares, and right before she can talk to me about them, the Coda invades her cerebral cortex and is trying to kill her! Why did this have to happen to Naomi? Why?"  
  
She felt a tear on the verge of falling down her cheek. She tried to fight it, but it was no use. Chakotay could see this, and wrapped his arms around her. He had only done this a few times, but it felt so right every time. Unable to resist anymore, she broke down and quietly sobbed into his chest. He held her close to him for a long time, neither of them saying a word. Once he had sensed that she was calmer, Chakotay gently pushed her back so they could make eye contact.  
  
"I'm sorry," Kathryn was slightly embarrassed, "I know I shouldn't be crying, especially at a time like this."  
  
“You love Naomi like she's your own daughter. There's nothing wrong with that,” he reassured her.  
  
“I have to be a sort of mother figure to every member of this crew,” Kathryn said, “They need me to lead them and tell them what to do in a given situation. And whenever something happens to them, the guilt I feel is overwhelming and I keep wondering what I could’ve done differently for them.” She wiped a falling tear from the corner of her eye. “But you’re right. Naomi is like a daughter to me. Probably the closest thing to a daughter I have, or will probably ever have.”  
  
“Are you sure about that?” Chakotay asked. "I know that being a captain means having to make some personal sacrifices to uphold protocol, but whatever may not be possible at this moment may be possible in a few years’ time.”  
  
"I wish it was that simple," Kathryn said with a sad tone.  
  
"But then again," Chakotay replied softly, "nothing in life is really is that simple."  
  
Kathryn nodded before going back to the subject at hand. "From what Neelix has told me, Naomi has told you about her nightmares, hasn't she?"  
  
"Yes. I was going to offer her the opportunity to explain her nightmares to me through a dream quest, but I was called away for bridge duty, and I never got around to it."  
  
Kathryn's ears perked up. "Did you just say you offered a dream quest?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So it's possible to reach her through her dreams?"  
  
"When done right, yes it is."  
  
Kathryn's eyes glimmered and her face broke into a wide smile. "Chakotay, that might just work! A dream quest may be answer."  
  
Chakotay stood up. "I'll get my medicine bundle and meet you in Sickbay in a few minutes."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
After a very brief meeting with the other Bridge officers in the observation lounge, Kathryn transferred command of _Voyager_ to Tuvok and made it to Sickbay as fast as she could. When she arrived, she found Chakotay there with the Doctor, Tom, Neelix, and Samantha.  
  
"Chakotay just told me of your idea," the Doctor informed her as she approached the surgical biobed where Naomi still lay. "As unscientific it may seem, I think it's worth a shot."  
  
"Will it save my baby girl?" Samantha asked worriedly.  
  
"I can't make any promises," Chakotay answered, "The direction in where dream quests go varies with each individual and the inner strength they have in their heart."  
  
"And with an alien life form invading her cerebral cortex, it'll be very risky for Naomi," the Doctor warned, "If it decides to invade the dreamer as well, their life might also be put at risk. But since there aren't any other options to consider, this may be the only way."  
  
"If all goes well," Chakotay concluded, "it should bring Naomi back."  
  
"Now who's going to be the one to find Naomi in her dreams?" Neelix asked.  
  
Samantha turned to the Captain. "I would like your permission to go on this 'dream quest' myself and save Naomi."  
  
"No," Kathryn quickly answered, "I will go." Samantha and the others looked at her with shock on their faces.  
  
"Captain, it's too dangerous," the Doctor protested.  
  
"Let me do it," Samantha pleaded. "I'm her mother and I should be the one to take the chance. The ship needs her captain."  
  
But Kathryn stood firm. "I'm aware of the risk, but I'm the central figure of her nightmares, so I need to be the one to help her face her fears."  
  
"Captain, are you sure you want to do this?" Tom asked.  
  
"Positive," she answered. "I made a promise to her that I'd be there for her whenever she needed me. I’ve only been there for her from afar and it’s time to really show her that I meant what I said.“ She moved towards Chakotay, who was still showing signs of uncertainty.  
  
"Chakotay," Kathryn whipered fiercely, her eyes blazing with determination. “Let me go in.”  
  
Chakotay felt conflicted. He wanted to help his captain and his best friend in any way he could, but he didn't want to risk losing her.  
  
"Please, Chakotay. Help me save Naomi.”  
  
"Is that an order?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Chakotay took a moment to process what he was hearing before he turned to the Doctor. "The captain has given a direct order. She wants to be the one to find Naomi's consciousness, and we need to help her."  
  
The Doctor breathed a heavy sigh, "Alright. I'd like to continually monitor both of your vital signs to increase your chances of success, and be able to treat you if complications arise."  
  
"Once you're in the dream world, I can watch over you both and give small indications with the help of my spirit guide, but I won't be able to help you directly," Chakotay warned. "You'll have to find your way to Naomi yourself."  
  
"Understood."  
  
"It's too bad we can't really move the beds closer to each other or make the surgical bed bigger to accommodate two patients in close proximity," Tom muttered.  
  
"That's alright," Chakotay waved his hand reassuringly. "The akoonah can allow a person to enter someone else's dream from a distance up to 100 yards."  
  
Kathryn walked towards the biobed closest to the surgical bay. "Will this do?"  
  
Chakotay nodded. "Perfect."  
  
Kathryn then remembered something. "Oh, could you give me a minute?" She walked over to the controls near the entrance and keyed in a command to the ship's computer.  
  
"What are you doing?" Neelix asked.  
  
"I'm locking onto something from my quarters," Kathryn answered. "Normally, it's against regulations to transport personal items without prior clearance from the security team, but I think I can make an exception." Once the lock was made, she gave her voice command.  
  
"Computer, lock onto the mapped coordinates and initiate a site-to-site transport directly to Sickbay."  
  
The computer chimed. *Coordinates locked.*  
  
"Energize."  
  
Instantly, a large charm materialized onto the biobed Chakotay was standing next to.  
  
"What's this?" Chakotay asked, examining the charm -- a golden star shape with a circular compact opening in the center, adorned by a diagonal wave line in midnight blue and tiny white sparkles, and a small gold chain.  
  
Samantha gasped. "Is that what I think it is?”  
  
"Naomi gave this to me on my birthday last month," Kathryn answered, taking the charm and opening the compact. A tiny white light shone from the center as a soft melody emanated from it.  
  
Chakotay recognized the tune. "That's ‘Dark Sky Island’ by Enya, isn't it?"  
  
"Naomi knew that this was one of my favorite songs," Kathryn replied with a soft smile. "I keep this on my bedside table and listen to it for a few minutes whenever I have trouble sleeping or I'm feeling sad."  
  
“You were so happy to receive such a nice gift from her after I helped her replicate it,” Neelix added. “I brought that up earlier today and she didn’t remember. How could she forget something as special as that?”  
  
Kathryn's eyes widened. "Has she forgotten that?"  
  
"I'm afraid so," Neelix replied. "And the cake mix incident."  
  
“The Coda must be inhibiting her good memories somehow,” Kathryn said. “This time, it's got to be more aggressive.”  
  
“Speaking of the Coda,” the Doctor chimed in, “Naomi’s vital signs are slowly deteriorating. If we don’t do something in the next ten hours, she’ll die.”  
  
“Then we haven’t got a moment to lose,” Kathryn connected the chain of the music box around her belt loop before letting Tom and Samantha help her onto the biobed. Chakotay arranged his stone from the river and black bird's wing on the small tray table next to him.  
  
“Captain,” Samantha said as Kathryn adjusted her position, “I just want to say that…whatever happens, thank you so much for caring enough to save my little girl. I’ll always be grateful.”  
  
Kathryn held Samantha’s hand. “Naomi means as much to me as she does to you all. I’ll do everything I can to get her back. I promise.”  
  
The Doctor put a cortical stimulator on Naomi’s forehead next to her Ktarian horns before preparing a hypospray with a sedative to use on Kathryn so she could sleep.  
  
"Whenever you're ready, Captain," the Doctor informed as he walked over to her, hypospray and cortical stimulator in hand.  
  
Kathryn nodded. "I'm ready." Chakotay held out the akoonah and she placed her hand on the sensor pad, activating it.  
  
"You be careful out there and good luck," the Doctor said as he placed the cortical stimulator on her forehead and injected the hypospray into her neck. The sedative worked quickly and Kathryn was asleep almost immediately.  
  
Chakotay began his incantation. "Akoochimoya. We are far from the sacred places of our grandfathers. We are far from the bones of our people. But perhaps there is one powerful being that will embrace this woman and give her the answers she seeks." He paused momentarily, placing his hand over her arm. "My friend wishes to embark on a quest of dreams. To cross the barrier separating one dream from another. To free the little girl from the terrors in her mind before they consume her."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Kathryn opened her eyes. Looking around, she saw what appeared to be empty space surrounded by dark clouds and flashes of violet light. The sounds of moans and screams sent a cold shiver down her spine. Given that this was a dream world, anything could happen beyond logic or comprehension.  
  
"What is this place?" She asked herself, before suddenly remembering that she had to find Naomi.  
  
“Naomi?” She called out. “Naomi? Where are you?”  
  
The moans intensified, but Naomi did not answer.  
  
Although she really had no idea where to go or what else to look for, Kathryn started walking forward. There was no point in just standing where she was.  
  
“Naomi? Naomi? I want to help you. Tell me where you are. Naomi? Answer me. Naomi!” Kathryn called out as she walked through the eerie haze. Naomi still did not answer.  
  
Kathryn then noticed what appeared to be a forest. Running towards the entrance, she saw that the trees were shaped in unnatural angles, resembling the leafless trees in haunted forests from ghost stories. To her, this was essentially Forever Forest under an evil spell. She didn't know if this was where she needed to go, but she felt a pulse of an instinct coursing through her mind.  
  
"I think I need to go this way," Kathryn thought aloud, "But why am I even certain of that?" She then remembered what Chakotay had told her. "Of course! He can't tell me exactly what to do or where to go, but he might be giving hints by somehow reaching my instincts. Is this what he meant by 'small indications?' I guess only I can ultimately decide whether or not to follow those instincts." She then looked towards the forest, looking for a set path. "And right now, those instincts are telling me to go through that forest. Will Naomi be on the other side? There's only one way to find out."  
  
Kathryn started off by taking slow, cautious steps through the forest, following the path in front of her. The large cluster of trees and plants made it impossible to see where the path was leading, so she would have to figure it out while moving. Given how large the forest was and the short amount of time she had to find Naomi, she couldn't afford to lose her way and wind up wandering endlessly.  
  
The path was treacherous, with Kathryn running into a tangle of vines, stepping on moss puddles, and nearly bumping into tree branches. The wolf howls echoing in the distance gave her chills. There wasn't much light, other than the bioluminescent moss and plants that were growing and the periodical light flash from the outside. With no tricorder or map, she had to create a trail using a long bioluminescent vine she found in case she needed to go backwards. An old-fashioned folk tale method, but it seemed to work. At least she wouldn't get lost so easily.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity of walking, Kathryn reached a divided path.  
  
"Uh-oh," she muttered, "Now where do I go?" Both paths looked alike from where she was standing. She rubbed her forehead as she thought for a minute. Suddenly, her instincts returned, and she felt a strong urge to take the path on her right. The wolf echoes were louder and more concentrated on the left side, and with no phaser, she couldn't risk a wolf attack. Again, she wasn't sure this was the right choice, but there were no other options to explore.  
  
Clenching onto the vine, Kathryn walked down the path, her instincts pushing her forward every step of the way. This had to be it. The wolf howls were further away and the path was clearer.  
  
After a few more minutes, she could see the exit. A small wave of relief washed over her as she dropped the vine and ran towards it. But as it turned out, her relief was short lived.  
  
She was stopped by a sudden emergence of black vines. When they had stopped moving, they had formed a tunnel leading towards the exit. Kathryn slowly approached the vine tunnel.  
  
"Oh, no!" She cried out. The vines were covered in thorns, and they were very sharp! Frustrated at this setback, Kathryn sighed heavily as she ran both of her hands through her auburn hair, all the way down to the ends reaching the back of her neck. She'd just traded one problem for another!  
  
Up ahead, she could see another black vine extending itself up a small hill towards a dim light source. Kathryn was curious over what she would find over that hill, but in order to find out, she needed to get out of the forest. She couldn't find any other openings, so she concluded that there was only one way out of the forest; she had to go through the vine tunnel!  
  
Kathryn swallowed hard. “If I can get through these vines, I can get out of here and keep looking for Naomi. But, oh, this is going to hurt!”  
  
Kathryn managed to find a pointed stone on the ground and sharpened the edges by rubbing it against the bark of one of the trees. Taking a deep breath, she climbed over the vines rooted in the ground and forced her way through. She had to cut every vine in front of her with the stone while keeping her hands and fingers clear of the thorns. As much as she tried, she wasn't able to completely avoid getting pricked or scratched by the thorns. Some of the thorns broke off the vine after getting caught in her uniform. She winced as the stray thorns dug deeper into her skin with every move, causing blood to drip down her arms and legs.  
  
Although it was only about five minutes, it seemed like an hour at the very least. At last, the exit was within reach. Kathryn couldn’t wait to get out of the tangle of vines. She was just about to cut the last vine in front of her when the vines suddenly began to move again. To her dismay, not only were the vines closing the exit, they were closing in on her! If she didn’t get out of there now, she was going to be crushed. Kathryn realized what she needed to do.  
  
“It’s do or die.” Kathryn braced herself, grabbing her nose with one hand and tightly closing her eyes. “I’m going to regret this.” With one mighty spring in her step, Kathryn lunged forward through the vines and broke through to the other side. She landed on the ground with a thud, the vines sealing the passage behind her.  
  
“Damn, that hurts!” She yelled out. As she rose to a sitting position, she examined herself. She was covered in thorns and was bleeding, but thankfully, none of them were piercing her heart or any of her arteries. And there was a branch of the vine that broke off and got tangled in her hair. She carefully pulled out every last thorn, some deeper than others, hissing in pain as she did. Finally, she worked the entangled vine out of her hair, tossing it over her shoulder. “From now on, I’m not entering a live forest without some weed killer,” she groaned. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do anything about the wounds, but to her, that was the least of her worries.  
  
Smoothing out her hair and uniform, Kathryn rose to her feet and watched as another black vine made its way up the hill. She decided to follow it and see if it was indeed heading towards that light source. The eerie shrieks and moans intensified, making her shudder. She had never felt this nervous during an away mission. She had been trained to stay calm when under pressure or in an unexpected situation, but this was more than she, or even Starfleet, had bargained for.  
  
Walking for two miles, she found what appeared to be a large spherical enclosure with a strange liquid bubbling inside, similar to a Borg maturation chamber. The sphere was held by the same black vines over and under it that seemed to glow a faint purple, like they were sustaining it. Somebody was inside it, but Kathryn was too far away to see who it was clearly. Holding her breath, she approached the sphere. Soon, she was close enough to see the face. As soon as she did, she stopped cold in her tracks.  
  
"Naomi!"


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor watched over Kathryn and Naomi's vitals like a hawk. He observed the fluctuations in the Captain's brain waves, the rise and fall of her breathing and heart rate, and facial twitching, sometimes accompanied by a low moan emanating from her rosy red lips. Now, her heart rate and breathing, although elevated, were on a set pattern for the time being.  
  
Chakotay had been watching her progress through the eyes of his spirit guide, giving subtle hints when needed. He had also been keeping the Doctor up to date on what was happening.  
  
"It seems that the Captain has had to endure quite a bit of pain to get out of that forest," he told the Doctor.  
  
"That would explain the elevation in her adrenaline earlier," the Doctor replied, "Has she been injured?"  
  
"She suffered puncture wounds from the thorny vine tunnel she had to cut her way through," Chakotay answered. "Most of them have stopped bleeding on their own, but a few are still leaking blood and are taking more time to clot."  
  
The Doctor walked over to Kathryn's biobed with a hypospray in his hand. "This supplement of iron and vitamin K should help with that, and prevent her from feeling any effects of blood loss," he said as he injected the medicine into her neck. He then looked at Chakotay with a look of concern on his face, "They say that if you die in a dream, you die in real life. I never really believed that saying until I saw first-hand what happened to Viorsa of the three Kohl held hostage by that...clown in stasis along with Ensign Kim." Looking at Kathryn, and then Naomi, he added, "I don't want to risk something like that happening to either of my patients."  
  
"I remember you telling me that he was beheaded in the dream." Just imagining the scenario made the back of Chakotay's neck hurt. "In reality, he died of massive heart failure, but the intense fear he felt in the dream was the cause of that." He took Kathryn's hand into his own. "But Kathryn Janeway is tough as nails. She won't succumb to her fears that easily." He knew that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it helped calm his own fears. Besides, he thought to himself, she's the woman warrior who took the angry warrior under her wing and tempered him. And he loves her for that. _Oh, if only I could tell her! Damn these protocols!_  
  
Chakotay snapped himself back into reality to focus on the task at hand. Right now, this woman warrior needed his help.  
  
Samantha walked in. "What's happening over there?"  
  
"It looks like the Captain has figured out where Naomi may be," Chakotay answered without lifting his head. "But that's only half the battle. Now she'll need to find a way to reach her consciousness and bring her back. It's safe to say that that's going to be difficult. We don't know what the Coda truly capable of."  
  
"Oh..." Samantha sighed.  
  
"Keep monitoring their vitals," he told the Doctor, "I'll keep watch over them through my spirit guide."  
  
The Doctor nodded and returned to the monitor. Chakotay reconnected with his spirit guide and continued to watch over Kathryn.  
  
"Samantha, we'll make sure your daughter is brought back to us safe and sound," the Doctor reassured the nervous ensign. "Captain Janeway will do everything she can to save her."  
  
She wasn't entirely sure, but Samantha decided to keep her faith in Kathryn. After all, she was the one Naomi looked up to. She turned and walked back into the Doctor's office with Neelix and Tom waiting.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kathryn stood frozen. An unconscious Naomi was encased inside the sphere, floating in the greenish liquid in a fetal position. The fact that she was able to breathe in it was beyond her understanding, but then Kathryn remembered that this was a dream, and sometimes dreams are completely random and don't make sense. She also knew that since this world was being created by the Coda, she was sure the Coda would do everything to resist her advances.  
  
Kathryn ran towards the sphere, placing her hands on the glass. "Naomi? Naomi, honey, can you hear me?"

Naomi did not respond.  
  
"I'm here, Naomi. I'll get you out of here. Hang on." Kathryn reached for one of the vines encircling the sphere, only to jerk her hand away after receiving a small shock pulse.  
  
Rubbing her hand, Kathryn examined the sphere. Since she had no tricorder, she could only take in what her eyes were seeing. She theorized that the vines were feeding Naomi some sort of dark energy. That energy could possibly be the cause of her nightmares and likely intensified when she was about to challenge her fears, thus putting her in a coma in the real world. Knowing that her condition was gradually worsening, Kathryn knew she needed to find a way to stop it.  
  
Kathryn pounded on the case, thinking that if she hit hard enough, the glass would shatter and free Naomi. That didn't work, so she kicked, punched, and even rammed into it with a full-body tackle.  
  
"Come on, you stupid thing," she demanded, "set Naomi free!" Every attack on it just bounced off. This glass was unbreakable, at least from the outside. Kathryn was getting more and more frustrated with every failed attempt.  
  
"Okay, then," she groused. "You want to play like that, don't you? Well, I'm in no mood for this nonsense." She then turned around, "Whoever is responsible for this, I demand you show yourself and explain why you're doing this to Naomi!" She was essentially shouting at thin air, but she hoped someone was listening.  
  
After a minute of silence, the sphere began to glow. Kathryn quickly turned around to find a little girl standing next to the sphere.  
  
"Naomi?" The girl looked exactly like Naomi! Kathryn looked at her, then at the Naomi who was still unconscious inside the sphere, then back at the Naomi standing before her. She guessed that the Naomi in the sphere was the real one and the Naomi she was seeing was a duplicate, or more likely a representation of her consciousness. Perhaps she was the key to freeing Naomi.  
  
“If Naomi’s in there, who are you?” She asked with a hint of uncertainty in her tone. The girl didn't answer. She just stared at Kathryn.  
  
"Are you a part Naomi's consciousness?" Kathryn asked. Again, no answer.  
  
Kathryn started to walk towards her, "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm sure that we--"  
  
Naomi backed away, her expression indicating sheer terror.  
  
Kathryn stopped in her tracks. "What's wrong?"  
  
"You want to hurt me," Naomi answered in a pained tone.  
  
"What?" Kathryn was shocked. "No, Naomi, I'm here to help you."  
  
Naomi's expression changed, highlighting a mixture of fear and rage. “No, you’re not,” she hissed. "You really think I’m too much trouble and you want me out of the way!"  
  
"That's not true!" Kathryn couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I don't know where you're getting this idea from, but I would never do anything to hurt you."  
  
"My friend showed me the truth," Naomi replied. "You've caused me nothing but pain for as long as I can remember!"  
  
"I-I don't understand," Kathryn said, her voice shaky. "And who's this 'friend' of yours?"  
  
"That doesn't matter!" Naomi screamed. "You will now pay for my whole life of misery!"  
  
Naomi then stomped the ground with one foot. Without warning, a mass of black vines burst through the ground behind Kathryn. She didn't have time to react before she was ensnared.  
  
"What is this?!" Kathryn struggled to break free, but the vines were wrapped tightly around her body. She felt her heart drop into her stomach when she saw the sadistic grin on Naomi's face. "Naomi, what are you doing?" Naomi didn't answer.  
  
A lavender bolt of a shockwave flashed below Kathryn's feet before it coursed her way through her entire body. The intense pain caused Kathryn to scream out loud.  
  
  
***  
  
  
The monitor emitted a warning beep. The Doctor rushed over.  
  
"The captain's heart rate has gone up, and it looks like her nerves are being stimulated at an extreme level!"  
  
"She's in intense pain!" Chakotay was hunched over, holding one hand to his temple, “She’s been hit by shockwaves.”  
  
The Doctor ran his scanner over Chakotay. "Your adrenaline is rising and your nerves are being stimulated as well." He looked the first officer in the eye. "Commander, are you feeling the Captain's pain?"  
  
"Yes," Chakotay answered.  
  
"But how?"  
  
"Sometimes when the person initiating the spirit quest has a strong bond with the recipient," Chakotay explained, "they can sense what they're thinking or feeling in a given moment through both spirit guides."  
  
The Doctor frowned. "Why didn't you tell me this would happen?"  
  
"I knew you'd protest," Chakotay argued. "I was already aware of the risk, but it was one I needed to take."  
  
"And the fact that you feel the Captain's pain, does that mean--?"  
  
"Yeah," Chakotay was a bit flustered. "It's a long story and quite complex, but I don't have time to explain. But it's not like _that_!" Of course he knew it was the opposite deep down, but how could he even begin to explain?  
  
The monitor beeped again. The Doctor rushed over to Naomi and scanned her.  
  
"The rate of Naomi's deterioration has increased by five percent!" The Doctor exclaimed.  
  
"The Coda is brainwashing her and causing her to unleash all her anger on the Captain," Chakotay explained. "As it's doing so, it's poisoning her mind with every outburst she makes."  
  
"Well, tell the Captain to do something!" The Doctor yelled. "She has less time now than she did before. I can't be certain of how long; four hours, maybe even less!"  
  
Despite the pain, Chakotay refocused his attention on the situation in the dream world.  
  
_Kathryn, we need to know why Naomi's so angry. Get her to show us the reason. You don't have much time, so please hurry!_  
  
  
***  
  
  
The shockwaves ravaged through Kathryn's body for another few seconds before they finally stopped. Kathryn collapsed, with the vines keeping her upright, and gasped with every breath she took as she struggled to look Naomi in the eye.  
  
"Why are you so angry with me?" Kathryn managed to ask, keeping her tone leveled. "I don't understand what's making you think this way."  
  
"Of course you wouldn't!" Naomi hissed. "You never wanted to understand!"  
  
"Well, I do now," Kathryn said. "Please tell me, or show me, what you remember. I need to know.”  
  
Naomi remained silent for a moment. At first, she thought it would be a waste of time and that she should kill the Captain right where she had her, but then the voice in her head emanated.  
  
_Just show her. It will really make her suffer. That's what you wanted, right? To make her suffer as much as you have. And once she's vulnerable, I can attack. Then she'll be in for some real damage._  
  
"Alright," Naomi agreed grudgingly. She walked towards Kathryn and held out her hand. "You will see what I have seen, and you will feel what I have felt."  
  
Kathryn swallowed hard as the little girl placed her fingers onto her forehead and, closing her eyes, established a telepathic link. Kathryn felt a rush of dark energy as she began to see Naomi's nightmares in her mind.

 

***

  
Naomi was skipping around the corridor of Deck Nine when she bumped into Ensign Kim. He looked slightly different: he wore a black turtleneck and he had no collar pips. His expression was one of concern. _  
  
_ "Naomi," he warned, "Thank goodness you bumped into me and not the Captain. She's in an especially sour mood today. More than usual. She actually stripped me of my rank because I didn't scan the invading ships fast enough." _  
  
_ "Why would she do that?" Naomi asked. "I thought the captain of the ship could only do that for things worse than that." _  
  
_ "She's supposed to, but she's got virtually no patience with anyone here," Kim explained. "In fact, I think she goes out of her way just to make us all miserable.”  
  
_What?!_ Kathryn couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  
  
“But I thought the captain of a starship loves her crew like her children..." Naomi couldn't believe what she was hearing. "My mom told me that."  
  
"Well," Kim didn't know how to explain in a better way, "I'm afraid your mom was just telling you that so you wouldn't find out the truth. The Captain is ruthless. Good in a battle, but horrible for us. And it'll be especially horrible for you because she hates children most of all.”  
  
_No, I don’t!_ Kathryn protested in her mind. _I wouldn’t have looked after Naomi that one time when she was a baby if I did._  
  
”But I was born here," Naomi protested. "This is my home. I can't just leave."  
  
"If we weren't stuck in this quadrant fighting a war, you'd have been back at Deep Space Nine living a normal life right now. She agreed to leave you alone only if she never saw you."  
  
"And you failed that miserably!" A terrifying voice startled Naomi and Kim into turning around. The Captain had come out of the turbolift behind Kim. She wore a red and black uniform with the same black turtleneck and four pips on her collar. She wore her deep auburn hair back in a harsh bun plastered onto her head and black gloves on her hands. Her hostile expression indicated that she was none to pleased to see either of them.  
  
_Who the hell is that?_ Kathryn was stunned. _That can't be me! We don't wear that uniform, and I wouldn't be caught dead with a hairstyle like that!_ She began to shudder. _No wonder Naomi’s scared of her; she's even giving_ me _the creeps with that expression! And I thought_ my _death glare was scary based on how the crew always reacts._  
  
"Crewman Kim," the Captain hissed, "I told you to report to Cargo Bay 2 immediately, and here you are wasting time with the child!"  
  
"Th-that wasn't my intention, Captain," Kim sputtered, his eyes clearly showing his fear.  
  
"Then get moving!" The Captain yelled, making Naomi wince.  
  
Not needing to be told twice, Kim sprinted down the corridor. The Captain then glared straight at Naomi.  
  
Naomi made a mad dash down the corridor back to her quarters, not looking back as the Captain followed. Once she made it, she hid under her bed and watched as the Captain looked around the room from the doorway.  
  
"Naomi Wildman, I know you're hiding in here," she muttered, her tone low and cold. "Since you already got the message, I'll let you off the hook this time. But, get in my way again, and I will not be so merciful." She then turned and walked away, the doors closing.

 

***

  
  
The flashback faded from her peripheral vision. This was just one nightmare, and Kathryn was already shaking.  
  
"Naomi," she whispered, "I don't know where that came from, but that wasn't what happened." Realizing that the vines were allowing slight movement of her arms, she reached out to touch the girl's face. "I've always wanted you to feel like you were a part of my crew because you _are_ a part of my crew.”  
  
A look of wonder formed on Naomi’s face as an image of a smiling Kathryn flashed in her mind. But, almost immediately, that image disappeared and her hateful expression returned. She slapped the Captain’s hand away, causing her to flinch. That was nothing, however, compared to the second round of shockwaves coursing through her body. Again, this lasted for a few seconds.  
  
Kathryn hunched her head forward in pain and exhaustion, but she couldn’t help but ponder over the sudden, yet brief, change in her expression.  
  
Naomi forcefully lifted her head and placed her fingers back onto her forehead. “If _Voyager_ was a little bigger, it would’ve been easy for me to avoid you, as you had ordered me to do,” she muttered, “but try as I did, you kept finding me. And every time, it got worse! I have to wonder if you found me on purpose?”  
  
Kathryn’s breath hitched. She didn’t feel like she was ready for another vision, but her need to understand what Naomi was feeling was impossible to ignore. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt Naomi establish another telepathic link. Another nightmare was coming into view, and it no doubt would be worse than the last one.  
  
  
***  
  
  
“Commander, Commander are you alright?” Chakotay could feel the Doctor nudging his shoulders. He quickly rose to his feet.  
  
“I saw one of the nightmares,” Chakotay shakily answered, “It was horrible. The Captain Janeway in the dream is the evil one from the Kyrian Museum of Heritage simulations you told us about.”  
  
“Naomi hasn’t even seen the museum simulations,” The Doctor was stunned, “How did that image get into her dreams?”  
  
“I’m not sure,” Chakotay answered.  
  
The monitors emitted an emergency beep. The Doctor rushed over.  
  
“Apparently reliving the nightmare is poisoning Naomi’s brain further,” he announced, “Her neurotoxin levels have increased by another five percent!”  
  
“And she’s about to show the Captain another one,” Chakotay sat back down, overcome by fear.  
  
Samantha rushed from the other room. “No, Naomi! Captain, please do something!”  
  
The Doctor injected a hypospray into Naomi’s neck. “This should slow down the progression of the neurotoxins, but I’m afraid that’s all I can do.” He looked at Chakotay, “The rest will be up to the Captain. She needs to break the Coda’s control over Naomi.”  
  
Chakotay squeezed Janeway’s hand. _Kathryn, you need to hurry. The nightmares are worsening her condition._  
  
  
***  
  
  
Naomi was studying today’s lesson on the human anatomy on the PADD the Doctor gave her. She found the subject matter interesting.  
  
The Doctor walked into the office. "How's the studying going?"  
  
"Pretty good," Naomi answered. "I'm looking over the part about the human heart."  
  
"Ah, an interesting subject indeed."  
  
"I've been reading about the way it functions and the diseases and injuries associated with it, but there's one thing I don't understand."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Naomi looked up from her PADD. "How someone could have a cold heart."  
  
"Oh," the Doctor answered. "If someone really did have a cold heart, they'd have to be dead."  
  
Naomi looked around the room, hoping no one else was listening. "Then why is the Captain is cold-hearted?"  
  
The hologram's face fell as he sighed. "That's not something anyone's allowed to discuss."  
  
"Why not? If her heart is cold, why can't we try to warm it up?"  
  
"Because warm hearts are weak and useless and don't command respect from your subordinates, especially when they commit an act of insubordination," a familiar voice hissed. Naomi spun around to find the Captain standing in the doorway, the angry expression instilling panic in her.  
  
“How did you get here so fast?” Naomi was stunned.  
  
“This ship has ears, so I can hear any naysay going on.” The Captain replied, glaring down at her.  
  
"Captain," the Doctor protested, "It was my fault. She was just asking a question."  
  
"Asking a question no one is allowed to ask," the Captain growled. "The neurotoxin, is it ready?"  
  
"Yes, Captain."  
  
"Then give it to me."  
  
"Captain, you're not seriously planning to use it, are you?" The Doctor protested. "We're talking about exterminating an entire alien species!"  
  
"I gave you an order!" The Captain shot back.  
  
Defeated, the Doctor handed her the vial of the deadly serum.  
  
"Computer, end medical holographic program," the Captain ordered. Before he could react, the Doctor vanished.  
  
Naomi turned to leave, but she felt the Captain grab her roughly by the arm.  
  
"I thought I told you to stay out of my way," she muttered in a low, cold tone.  
  
"I didn't mean to do that," Naomi cried out as she squirmed, trying to break free. "Please, stop, you're hurting my arm!"  
  
Then, she felt a light pressure on her neck. She started to become drowsy. The Captain had used a hypospray with a sedative! Her body went limp as she lost consciousness.  
  
Kathryn was horrified at what she just saw. _I don't know what the hell her problem was, but_ this _is absolutely unacceptable! On so many levels._  
  
When she woke up, Naomi found herself in the middle of an empty space in a room she didn't recognize. Thankfully, the Captain was gone. She walked towards the opening only to be stopped by a force field. She then realized that she was in the brig!  
  
"Hey!" she called out. "What am I doing here in the brig? I don't know what I did wrong. Somebody get me out! Please, let me out!"  
  
_Why would Naomi be in the brig?_ Kathryn worriedly thought. _Did the evil me do this? She must have. I wouldn't put her there, especially for no reason! Way too harsh!_  
  
No crew member answered her pleas. Suddenly, a black hole opened in the wall behind her. Naomi turned around to face a purple life form with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth poking out through the hole. The creature growled fiercely, freezing Naomi with fear. Then a small body popped out of the creature's back. It had a face looking exactly like the Captain's, but with red eyes. The second creature pointed a commanding finger towards Naomi. The main creature let out a horrifying roar, loud enough to shatter glass. Naomi let out a scream as the creature lunged towards her.

 

***

  
  
Kathryn let out a shriek just before the image faded from her mind. Normally, she'd scold herself for reacting that way, but she wasn't thinking about that now.  
  
“Naomi, that image isn’t real either,” Kathryn told the seething girl. “And the brig is not my idea of discipline for a child. That’s reserved for the adults responsible for serious offenses.”  
  
“Well, just being in the same room with you was a ‘serious offense’ as far as you were concerned,” Naomi retorted.  
  
“No, it isn’t!” Kathryn protested. “I’m always happy to see you, even if it’s just a quick hello.”  
  
“You lie!” Naomi screeched.  
  
Without warning, Kathryn was hit with another shockwave. This time, the voltage was more intense, resulting in greater pain.  
  
“Naomi, stop!” Kathryn screamed out.  
  
After about ten seconds, the shock waves stopped. Kathryn once again slumped forward, her nerves on overdrive. She knew that she couldn’t possibly take another jolt. And she knew, from Chakotay’s message, that she had to do something, and fast.  
  
Then an idea hit Kathryn. _If Naomi is able to telepathically show me her nightmares in this dream, can I do the same with pleasant memories?_ She didn’t know if this was another hint from Chakotay or if it was her own gut instinct. _I’ve got to try it!_  
  
“Naomi, if you can show me what you have seen, I must be able to do the same,” she said calmly. “Focus on what I am about to show you. Perhaps what you’re going to see will convince you that I am telling you the truth.”  
  
Kathryn then tried to focus on one memory she and Naomi shared and concentrated on channeling the memory to Naomi telepathically. She didn't know exactly what the true method of establishing a telepathic link involved, but it was worth a shot.  
  
Naomi gasped as she felt a warm essence embracing her. Her memory then flashed to a particular moment in time. "What's going on?"  
  
Kathryn realized that it was working. She transmitted an image of the time she gave Naomi her own comm badge, laying down the basic rules on when, where, and how to use it. The Captain also reminded Naomi to contact her anytime there was an emergency. Naomi understood perfectly. Since she was normally preoccupied with other activities, she rarely used it other than to contact or be contacted by Neelix or her mother. Kathryn was proud of Naomi's responsible use of the comm badge and was relieved to know that she was alright. The lonely part of her was tempted to check in on the girl every once in a while, but she didn't want to frighten her into thinking she did something wrong.  
  
Naomi contemplated the warm feeling for a moment, but then pushed it away. "You think I'll believe something like that after all that you've done?!"  
  
Naomi established another telepathic link with Kathryn, flooding her mind with various scenes of her nightmares about the evil Captain, one right after the other. Even though she knew these dreams weren't real, Kathryn could tell that the stress brought on by her horror was taking a toll on her mentally and emotionally.  
  
"Naomi," Kathryn pleaded, "Please, no more!"  
  
But nothing in the world could have prepared her for the last nightmare. The worst one of all!

 

***

  
  
Naomi was in the mess hall, behind the kitchen counter helping Neelix serve the other crew members today's lunch: Cristelian bark stew with spices ground from the petals of the Slyverish flower. It was one of Neelix's better recipes, only getting complaints from about one-tenth of the crew.  
  
It was a relatively quiet day, the crew seeming more or less at ease with themselves and one another. The scenery and uniforms were identical to that of the real _Voyager_. Most were talking about the Jorgarzon guests that had boarded aboard _Voyager_ a couple of hours earlier. The Jorgarzon were an alien species the crew had never encountered before, and Captain Janeway was hoping to make a diplomatic alliance with them in exchange for their advanced knowledge of the Delta Quadrant, a lot of which even Neelix didn't know about.  
  
Suddenly, the doors slid open to two male Jorgarzons dashing through the mess hall. Three security officers were chasing them and ordered the crew members to stay clear. Three more security officers entered from the other side of the room. Naomi stayed behind the counter, watching as Captain Janeway, Lt. Cmdr. Tuvok, and the other three Jorgarzons followed suit. The Captain Janeway in this dream looked identical to how she actually looked.  
  
_The assassination attempt on the Jorgarzon Head Council,_ Kathryn thought. _Unlike the other nightmares, that actually did happen._ Then she gasped, _There’s going to be a part of this that's blown out of proportion, isn’t there?_  
  
_"_ Stand down, you two,” Janeway ordered. “You’re surrounded with no place left to run.”  
  
The mental picture began to distort itself. Kathryn realized that she was viewing this nightmare from Naomi's perspective, which was in a visual and auditory jumble. Tense situations register in a child's brain differently than adults, and this was certainly no exception. Kathryn had to rely on her memory to decipher how the confrontation actually went down while keeping a sharp eye for any inconsistencies.  
  
"The Jorgarzon Empire will fall if influenced by outsiders!” One of the Jorgarzon men shouted. “Head Council, you have no right to fraternize with these people.”  
  
“So you think violence will solve the problem?" The Head Council demanded. "The very fact that you resort to this kind of action is exactly why our world is in a crisis! Lives are mercilessly taken from the innocent."  
  
The two Jorgarzons were unmoved. "A necessary sacrifice in the name of our cause," the second man growled. "Those people were willing to betray the way of life we have known for ten generations!"  
  
"That doesn't give you the right to commit genocide," Janeway hissed. "Especially since the Jorgarzon law does not support violent political acts."  
  
"They don't understand," the second man spat harshly, "and of course, being an outside alien race, you wouldn't! Those people will never change, and thus they lose the right to live!"  
  
Janeway was disgusted. "Oh, I understand all too well. This is the very ideology our own planet was trapped under centuries ago. And, unfortunately, we're still fighting that battle." Her tone hardened as she spoke, "We almost lost entire civilizations because groups of people followed the twisted leadership of one individual. Caligula, Adolf Hitler, Kim Il-Sung, the list goes on! Even though, most human leaders are no longer driven by bloodshed in order to resolve their civilization’s problems, the seed of evil still exists within humanity and it’s dangerous. The worst part is that it is able to follow us into the galaxy, and it has on numerous occasions."  
  
The crew members and the other three Jorgarzons were experiencing a mix of emotions at what they were hearing from her. The tone was unnerving, but the words were sincere.  
  
All Naomi could process, however, was the fact that the _Voyager_ captain was visibly angry. The sight shook her with fear. Neelix could hear her breathing heavily, and patted her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down.  
  
"You and your 'words of peace...'" the first Jorgarzon sneered, "The only true victory is earned by defeating all of your enemies, relishing the blood at your feet, even if it means betraying your pawns to get there!"  
  
The second Jorgarzon was stunned, "Wait, so you'd turn on me if it meant getting all the glory?!"  
  
"You fool," the first Jorgarzon growled, "I am the one who will bring victory to this cause! My name will be on the lips of my people."  
  
"So what do I get?" The second Jorgarzon barked.  
  
"For questioning me, this!" The first Jorgarzon drew his knife and lunged at his sidekick.  
  
"Security, stop them!" Janeway yelled. In an instant, the security officers restrained the two Jorgarzons and moved them apart from one another.  
  
"Zekolar and Ishtakeer," the Head Council formally announced, "You two are under arrest for murder and conspiracy to commit treason."  
  
"Take those two to Transporter Room 2 and beam them back to the planet," Janeway ordered.  
  
As the security team left the mess hall with the two Jorgarzons, Janeway turned to face the Head Council. "I sincerely apologize for what's happened."  
  
The Head Council shook his head, "Actually, I'm the one who should apologize on behalf of the Jorgarzon Empire. I never would've suspected that those two were members of the Rebellion. And because of this, you and everyone else here were put at risk."  
  
"We've been in worse situations, trust me," Janeway reassured. She was about to say something else when she overheard Neelix.  
  
"Naomi?"  
  
Janeway turned around to find Naomi standing behind the counter, her face filled with sheer terror. Before she could ask what was wrong, Naomi ran out of the mess hall.  
  
_That’s exactly what happened as far as I know,_ Kathryn thought, _But what was on her mind that time?_  
  
Naomi sprinted down the corridor, reaching her quarters.  
  
*Neelix to Naomi Wildman* the comm signal chimed.  
  
“Yes, Neelix? I’m in my quarters.”  
  
*Are you alright?*  
  
“Yes, I think so.”  
  
*The captain was about to say something to you, but you were gone before she could speak.*  
  
Naomi felt remorseful, “I’m sorry. I know it was rude of me. I’m just scared by what happened. I don’t really understand it, either.”  
  
*It’s alright Naomi. She understands. You go on to bed, and we can talk about this tomorrow.*  
  
“Okay. Good night, Neelix.”  
  
For half of the night, she slept undisturbed. Then, she heard the sound of metallic footsteps. She opened her eyes to find that she was no longer in her quarters. She was in another part of the ship she didn’t recognize, so she started to get nervous. She tried to move, but found that she couldn’t. It took a moment for her to realize that she was in an EV suit, much too big for her small body, and her arms and legs were restrained against a flat surface!  
  
“Hey!” Naomi called out, “I can’t move my arms and legs! Why am I in this thing? What’s going on?”  
  
_Naomi in an EV suit? …Uh-oh,_ Kathryn felt a nasty pinch in her stomach. _This must be where it all goes downhill._  
  
"Hello? Is anybody he--Aaaah!" Naomi screamed as a Jorgarzon suddenly lunged at her, his face mere inches from hers. He growled menacingly, his eyes dark and almost evil, causing her to shake with terror."  
  
"That's enough," a familiar voice ordered, as the Jorgarzon was pulled away. Naomi looked up to find Captain Janeway, but to her horror, it was the evil Janeway!  
  
Kathryn's heart dropped. _I knew it. Now what's going to happen?!_  
  
"Naomi Wildman," the Captain fixed her terrifying gaze onto the little girl, “You’ve been a thorn on my side for long enough.  
  
Naomi’s eyes grew wide with terror. “Mom!” She called out, looking around. Her eyes found her mother lying on the floor in the corner, listless. The Jorgarzon hovered over her body, emitting a low growl of hunger.  
  
“I’m afraid your dear mother won’t be coming to save you this time,” the Captain stated coldly, ”she has become the latest sacrifice for the cause of the Jorgarzon Empire.” She knelt down and locked her eyes with Naomi’s. Naomi could see a black void of evil through them.  
  
“With your mother here, I couldn’t do this, but now with her out of my way, I can do what I should’ve done a long time ago.” The Captain activated the EV suit, rose and stormed out of the room.  
  
“What?” Naomi was terrified. “What did I do? And what happened to Mom?”  
  
Naomi didn’t get an answer to either question. A deafening warning signal blared through the room as the doors to the airlock opened.  
  
_Oh, no. Oh, god no!_ Kathryn was completely aghast upon realizing what was going to happen next.  
  
The suction of the gravitational loss pulled Naomi out into space. Within a few minutes, she was able to see the outside of the ship. The little girl watched in horror as _Voyager_ 's engines took them to warp, away from her position.  
  
“Hey!” Naomi yelled out, “Why am I out in space? Don’t leave me out here! Come back!” As the traumatic realization set in, she began to cry. Not long after, _Voyager_ left, however, Naomi could hear a warning beep in her suit.  
  
*Warning: Oxygen level at 150 millibars,* the computer’s voice echoed. It turned out that the suit did not have enough oxygen.  
  
_She’s going to asphyxiate!_ Kathryn realized. _The evil me wants her to die out there._ The atrocity of the image resulted in a series of heavy gasps.  
  
Naomi hyperventilated, which only resulted in depleting her oxygen supply faster. Once the level had reached 50 millibars, she began to gasp and lose consciousness.

 

***

  
  
As the image whited out before fading back to reality, Kathryn could feel her heart sinking to the ground. This was the worst nightmare she had ever seen. She knew that the part about the airlock was completely false, but she also knew she had just seen the extent of Naomi’s fears.  
  
Tears began to form in the eyes of the normally unshakable captain as the reality of what she had done — or rather she _hadn’t_ done — sank in. Naomi was in a situation where she really needed her, and she wasn’t there. She wasn’t ignoring her, but she didn’t think to gauge the extent of Naomi’s trauma.  
  
“Now you understand what I have been feeling,” Naomi muttered coldly as she took her hand away from her captive’s forehead. “It’s because of you, this pain won’t stop.”  
  
“Oh, Naomi…” Kathryn’s voice hitched, “The part about throwing you out the airlock is not true at all.”  
  
“Yeah, maybe not,” Naomi snapped, “but I was so scared that night and you didn’t help me.”  
  
“Yes, I know,” Kathryn replied, “I had no idea you were this scared. I thought about going to your quarters and persuading you to talk about it with me, but Neelix insisted that you were going to be fine after he talked with you. I should’ve known better than to leave as it was.” Her voice began to trail off, “Oh, Naomi, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry!”  
  
_She needed me, and I…I failed her!_ The grim thought circulated as she lowered her head into her hands and began to sob bitterly, her cries emanating like those of an orphaned kitten.  
  
Naomi seemed to take some sort of delight watching the Captain break down like this. _Yeah, go ahead and cry. You deserve it after all you—_ She felt a snap in her thoughts. _No! Captain, please don’t cry. You’re here now, so please save—_  
  
The voice was back. _Her spirit is broken. Now’s your chance to finish her. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?_  
  
“I-I don’t know…” Naomi whispered.  
  
_Why are you hesitating? Go on, destroy her,_ the voice ordered. Then Naomi stopped hesitating and let the hatred return.  
  
“Time to get rid of you for good,” she hissed, “For all the pain I have felt, you will suffer a pain even greater before you die!”  
  
Before Kathryn could react, she was hit with the most powerful shockwave Naomi could give her. The pain caused by this was nothing like she had ever felt before, and its effect was devastating.  
  
  
***  
  
  
“NO!” Chakotay yelled out in intense pain as he felt Kathryn’s shockwaves.  
  
The Doctor rushed to the monitor. The alarm was sounding on both ladies’ vital signs. “The vitals on both patients are dropping. Not only has Naomi’s neurotoxin levels have increased again, the Captain’s brain is showing signs of neurotoxin poisoning. And the extreme nervous response is accelerating her heart rate; soon it’ll be enough to cause cardiac arrest!” He administered a hypospray into Kathryn’s neck while Tom did the same with Naomi.  
  
“What else can we do?!” Tom demanded.  
  
“I don’t know,” Chakotay grunted, “It doesn’t look good.”  
  
“She’s losing,” Neelix gasped.  
  
“NOOOO!” Samantha screamed. “Naomi! Captain!”  
  
Chakotay tightly gripped the slender hand of his commanding officer, a tear falling down his cheek. “KATHRYN!” he cried out.  
  
  
***  
  
  
The shockwaves mercilessly tore through Kathryn’s body as she struggled to break free from the vines entangling her.  
  
_I don’t know what to do now,_ her mind screamed _Guess this is it…I’ve failed…I let everyone down; Samantha, my crew, and especially Naomi…_  
  
Under the unbearable pain of the shockwaves and agony of defeat, Kathryn threw her head back and let out a bloodcurdling scream.


	4. Chapter 4

“The Captain’s lifesigns are falling!” The Doctor was horrified at what was unfolding. “And Naomi’s deterioration has increased by another five percent. At this rate, we could lose them both in less than an hour, thirty minutes, I don’t know.”

 

Chakotay’s pain was growing worse. His connection with Kathryn was making it so he was struggling to keep conscious. “The Captain now knows the true cause of Naomi’s nightmares, but she’s unable to do anything right now,” he grunted, “The shockwaves are too intense.”

 

“Well, tell her to fight it,” Samantha demanded, “She can’t give up now!”

 

“Can’t you do something, Chakotay?” Neelix asked.

 

“I’m trying,” Chakotay answered, “but my connection with her is fluctuating. I don’t know how long I can keep this up.”

 

“Apparently not much longer,” The Doctor added, running his tricorder scanner over him. “Your adrenaline levels are through the roof, which is increasing your blood pressure.”

 

“Damn,” Tom hissed through gritted teeth, “This ‘Coda’ or what you call it is evil!”

 

Chakotay took a deep, pained breath as he concentrated on maintaining his connection with Kathryn.

 

_Come on, Kathryn! You’ve got to hang on. I believe in you. We all do._

 

 

***

 

 

The shockwaves continued to ravage through Kathryn’s body, draining her of her strength. But that paled in comparison to what she was feeling deep inside. Her guilt had all but destroyed her.

 

But before she could completely lose herself to her inner darkness, the tiny amount of determination she had left ignited.

 

 _No! I can’t die now,_ she thought desperately, _Even if I failed her as a friend, I still need to help her as her captain! But I don’t know how. What should I do?_ She could feel another tear starting to fall.

 

“Oh…Naomi…Please…” The tear dropped onto the grass.

 

The sound of a water drop preceded the magenta glow that began to emanate in rings from the spot where the tear had fallen. Just like ripples over a pond, the rings grew and grew and grew, until the environment was surrounded by a warm, pink light.

 

The shockwaves coursing through Kathryn’s body gradually lost their intensity until they finally stopped. She was very weak, but she was just about able to lift her head. Through fluttering eyelids, she could see the ripples growing.

 

“Wh—“ she whispered, “What’s going on?”

 

“What is this?” Naomi demanded, “What did you do? Is this some kind of—” She was overwhelmed by a sudden warmth reaching her heart.

 

 _Naomi,_ a new voice echoed in her mind, _if you ever need anything from me, don’t hesitate to ask._ It was Kathryn’s voice. The real Kathryn Janeway’s voice.

 

“Captain?”

 

Kathryn lifted her head until it was upright. A faint glow from the sphere encasing the real Naomi caught her eye. The unconscious girl was moving slightly, possibly reacting to the pink ripples and her mirage counterpart’s sudden confusion.

 

“Naomi,” Kathryn called out to the mirage.

 

“Captain…” Naomi cried out weakly, “…Captain, please, help me.”

 

Kathryn gasped. Did Naomi just ask for her help?

 

 

***

 

 

“Something’s happening,” the Doctor observed aloud. “The neurotoxin levels have slowed.”

 

“I think it was the Captain’s doing,” Chakotay added, “I’m not sure what it is, but Naomi is responding to it. She pleaded for her help.”

 

“Does that mean she’s free of her brainwashing?” Samantha asked.

 

“I’m afraid not,” Chakotay shook his head. "I’m certain that she’s begun to fight it, but she’s not strong enough to do it on her own. The Captain will need to help her somehow.”

 

Neelix ran towards Naomi’s bed and held her hand. “Come on, Naomi, you can do it. Fight it.”

 

Chakotay refocused his attention on Kathryn’s dream. _Whatever it is you’re doing might be the key to saving Naomi. Kathryn, figure it out and break the mind control._

 

 

***

 

 

“…Captain, please, help me.”

 

“Naomi, I’m here.”

 

“NO!” Naomi suddenly screamed, her expression reverting to hatred, “Whatever it is you’re doing, stop it!”

 

Before Kathryn could respond, however, Naomi’s expression changed again. “No, Captain,” she cried out, “Something bad’s happening to me. I don’t know what to do! Please help—NO!” The two personalities were clashing with one another. Kathryn realized that Naomi was struggling to break free of the brainwashing.

 

 _What are you doing?_ The male voice echoed in Naomi’s head, _She is tricking you. She’ll only hurt you again._

 

Naomi grasped the sides of her head. “My head, it hurts! What’s going on?”

 

“Naomi, if you can really hear me, you need to stay strong. Fight the evil in your head.”

 

“I…” Naomi was struggling to stay focused, “…I can’t…help me…NO! I will not let you…ungh! These images….what are they?” The mirage girl lunged forward in pain with the real Naomi writhing inside the sphere.

 

“Hold on, what if I…?” Kathryn attempted to establish a telepathic link with Naomi, with a vivid recollection of a past memory. Naomi gasped and stood still, a warm feeling washing over her. Realizing that it was working, the captain deepened her focus on the mental link, painting a distant memory in Naomi’s mind.

 

A cluster of images came into focus in Naomi’s vision, the same way she was able to transmit her nightmares to Kathryn. She didn’t know what to make of them. The scenery was unfamiliar, barren. She could see all the _Voyager_ crew members, some she didn’t even know were there, seemingly working together in order to survive on this planet.

 

 _What would the entire crew of Voyager be doing in a place like this?_ Naomi wondered.

 

 _Naomi_ , the voice demanded, _shake that image off. It isn’t real._ Naomi ignored the voice, however, and continued her observations. She was stunned to find herself there as well.

 

 _Is that me?_ Naomi realized that this was when she was a baby. She was in her mother’s arms, wrapped in a blanket, and squirming uncomfortably.

 

 

***

 

 

Naomi’s adjustment to the harsh environment was not going well. That was one disadvantage to having been born on a starship. With no medical supplies and the Doctor a hostage in his own Sickbay, her condition steadily grew worse. Night had now fallen, but she was still unwell. The fire Commander Chakotay had managed to build helped to keep her warm, but that was all.

 

Samantha held the ailing child in her arms, fighting off her fatigue as she sat against the cave opening. She couldn’t afford to fall asleep while Naomi was getting sick. Plus, with no knowledge of this planet, the list of possible dangers was lengthy.

 

“How is she?” Samantha jumped slightly and looked up to find Captain Janeway kneeling down to her level.

 

“I’m not sure,” Samantha answered worriedly, “She doesn’t seem to be getting better, though.”

 

“The environment must be too harsh for her,” Janeway theorized, “It would make sense since it’s hard enough for us as it is.” She noticed Samantha starting to nod off. “You should get some rest.”

 

Samantha’s eyes widened, “Captain, are you sure? I need someone to watch Naomi, and Neelix is still out there looking for supplies.”

 

“Give her to me. I can keep an eye on her until Neelix returns.”

 

Samantha relented and Janeway welcomed Naomi into her arms. The baby squirmed momentarily, but calmed under the soothing touch of her captain.

 

Janeway watched as Samantha fell asleep before looking down at the child. “I know you don’t like it here. I certainly don’t, and I don’t think anybody here does either,” she reassured Naomi. “But everything will be alright. I’ll make sure of it. What Seska has done is just unforgivable. I thought her betrayal was hard enough to deal with, but using her own baby as a pawn to take over _Voyager_ tops that. And leaving another baby out here to die."

 

Naomi whimpered silently. Janeway didn’t know how else to keep her comfortable, but she decided to try and keep talking. Naomi seemed to like listening to Janeway’s soft, husky voice, so it would have to be enough until Neelix returned.

 

“You know,” Janeway began, “I never told anyone about the time Chakotay and I were forced to live on New Earth for three months. It all started when………I had this idea to………then the Doctor told us……….so here we were; living on an uncharted planet _alone_ , no one but each other for company.” She went on to describe how life was on New Earth with Chakotay. “At first I was in denial…………..he was kind enough to build………..Of course, being so stubborn, I resisted……….then the plasma storm………so I had to let go…………..

 

“Then one night, I was…” Janeway paused momentarily. She was about to reminisce about the time Chakotay told her his Angry Warrior story. Nothing intimate happened, except for the moment their fingers intertwined. Still, she was hesitant to come forward with what she was feeling at the time. But then she figured that Naomi, still being an infant, would not truly understand what she was saying, so she’d listen to her without any reservations or judgement.

 

“I was in a lot of pain from…………it was probably the best shoulder massage I ever had…………but then I felt something, and it scared me…………I couldn’t sleep without discussing it…………then _Voyager_ came back for us with the medicine.” Janeway sighed, “As happy as we were to be back, we couldn’t help but feel sad over the fact that a possible romantic relationship was now impossible. Ever since that night, I couldn’t help but love him.” She looked around, hoping no one was listening, before she whispered, “I still do. He doesn’t know it, but I still love him. I know I’m technically still engaged to Mark, but I’m certain he’s moved on by now. Not that I’d blame him.

 

“Sadly, I can’t admit my feelings to Chakotay. Not while he’s under my command, and not while we’re still here in the Delta Quadrant. At the very least, I can only hope that we will remain close as friends, as well as comrades.” She gently stroked Naomi’s cheek. “What I just said probably doesn’t make sense to you at your age, but I trust you’ll keep this between us. Hopefully one day, once everything is resolved, it won’t have to be a secret.”

 

Naomi whimpered as she snuggled closer to Janeway’s chest, still not feeling well. Janeway gently shushed her. “Everything will be alright, Naomi. Just hang in there, and we’ll be back aboard _Voyager_ soon. You’ll feel better then.”

 

“Captain?” Neelix approached her just as she finished the last sentence.

 

“Hi, Neelix,” Janeway greeted.

 

“I can take over watching Naomi if you want to get some sleep,” he offered.

 

“Thank you,” Janeway gently passed Naomi to Neelix. “I’ll check on you later,” she told the infant before her Talaxian godfather took her with him to sit near the fire. Janeway settled herself on her back and fell into an uneasy sleep.

 

 

***

 

 

As the image faded from Naomi’s vision, she stood silently, unsure of whether or not to accept it as reality.

 

 _Naomi_ , the voice warned, _that image is not real. She never cared about you._

 

“But…but how can it not be real? She was concerned for me then.”

 

 _She just pitied you because you were a baby._  

 

Naomi growled and her hateful expression returned. “That picture’s nothing but a fake! Why won’t you just die already?!”

 

Kathryn was hit with another round of shockwaves. To her surprise, this time, the pain only equaled that of small knives cutting her skin, making her emit small grunts and hisses. And the damage was minimal.

 

“What’s going on?” Naomi gasped. “The shockwaves should’ve been stronger than that.” She was then overwhelmed by an inner force within her.

 

“C-Captain! Are you okay?” Naomi’s expression changed to indicate worry.

 

“Yes,” Kathryn answered, “compared to those other shocks, that was nothing. But, I’m more concerned about you. You need to stay strong and fight this evil influence.”

 

“How?”

 

“Just keep listening to me and believe in what I show you.” She then had an idea. Perhaps a funny memory would work. _Yes, the cake mix incident! I’ll give it a try._ She reestablished her telepathic link and transmitted all that she remembered about that day.

 

 

***

 

 

“The Captain’s showing Naomi her own memories she shared with her,” Chakotay stated. “It’s too soon to tell, and I couldn't hear everything the Captain was saying in the flashback, but it seems to be working.”

 

“It sure is,” the Doctor added, “The neurotoxin levels are down by five percent.”

 

“So she’s found a way,” Samantha gasped in delight.

 

“It’s not going to be easy, though,” Chakotay warned, “The Coda is trying to flood Naomi’s mind with the false memories again. It’ll resist everything the Captain does.”

 

“But the Captain will get through to her, won’t she?” Tom asked.

 

“I believe she will,” Neelix insisted, “After all we’ve been through and what she’s done for us, there’s no way we can give up on her now.”

 

“You’re right, Neelix,” Chakotay replied, “Right now, we can only hope for the best.” He then focused on the task at hand. “Oh, she’s about to show Naomi another pleasant memory now.”

 

 

***

 

 

Naomi was at the mess hall with Neelix, figuring out how to bake a chocolate cake. The doors slid open and Kathryn walked through. She made her way to the counter.

 

“Hi, Captain,” Naomi greeted with a smile.

 

“Hello, Naomi,” Kathryn greeted back. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you doing today?”

 

“Great,” Naomi answered. “Neelix and I are baking a chocolate cake for Ensign Kyoto’s birthday. It’s her favorite.”

 

“That sounds wonderful,” Kathryn replied as she moved to where Naomi was standing behind the counter. “I love chocolate, too. Especially Jibelian fudge.”

 

“Me too!” Naomi squealed in delight. A question then popped into her mind. “Oh, Captain?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Um,” Naomi hesitated briefly, “do you mind if I ask you when your birthday is?”

 

“Not at all,” Kathryn answered, “It’s May 20th.”

 

“May 20th,” Naomi recalled what she had read about astrology. “That makes you a Taurus, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Naomi continued, “Personality strengths are reliability, patience, practicality, devotion, strong sense of responsibility, and overall stability. Weaknesses are stubbornness, possessiveness, and unwillingness to compromise.”

 

Kathryn nodded, “That’s me in a nutshell. Well…almost. I wasn’t gifted with the patience trait. I have to wonder how Commander Tuvok does it?”

 

“Ruled by the planet Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty.”

 

“The goddess is beautiful. The planet? From orbit, yes, beneath the surface, not so much,” Kathryn informed, “Thick, toxic clouds, unbearable heat, and an unforgiving greenhouse effect.”

 

“And your birthstone is the emerald.”

 

“Same color as the isle where my ancestors came from,” Kathryn added. Naomi gave her a quizzical look, not understanding what she was referring to. “That’s the nickname for Ireland; the Emerald Isle.”

 

Naomi frowned, “I’m not familiar with that place.”

 

Kathryn placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I know a lot about Irish culture. Someday, I’ll have to show you.”

 

“Sounds good!” Naomi felt better.

 

“Where did you learn about the zodiac signs?”

 

“I read about it in my quarters,” Naomi answered, “While doing my homework one day, I read something about constellations and found that twelve of them were used in a divination of sorts upon further research.”

 

“Interesting. You seem to like studying about a lot of different things.”

 

“Speaking of studying different things,” Neelix said, “We should get back to baking the cake.”

 

“Right,” Naomi agreed. She reached for the box of cake mix, taking out the plastic bag before reading the instructions on the box.

 

“It says here that after preheating the oven at 449 degrees Kelvin, we should pour the cake mix into the bowl.”

 

Naomi didn’t notice the Captain grabbing the bag. Kathryn tugged at both ends, trying to open it.

 

“Do not tug on the bag, as the force—” Naomi didn’t get a chance to finish before she heard a loud pop. All three crew members yelped in surprise.

 

The warning came too late for Kathryn. In a moment of absent-minded impatience, she managed to rip the bag in half, resulting in a cloud of brown cake mix dust covering her from head to toe! Her eyes were clenched shut as she sputtered the dust from her lips.

 

Also covered in cake dust, Naomi finished reading, “—as the force may cause the cake mix to scatter and become unusable.”

 

When Kathryn finally opened her eyes, she saw Neelix and Naomi giving her a look reminding her of what she had done. A sheepish grin formed on her face as she looked around the room.

 

“Oops, sorry!”

 

Neelix and Naomi burst out laughing at the sight of her covered in cake mix. Kathryn glanced at the frying pan that showed her reflection. She couldn’t help but laugh as well. This was probably one of the most ridiculous things she had ever done. “Look at the mess I made.”

 

No one noticed Samantha and Chakotay walking into the mess hall, discussing their duty rosters. They took one look at the trio and jumped in surprise.

 

"Whoa! Naomi! Neelix! Wha...Captain?!" Neither of them could believe their eyes. "What happened to you?” Samantha asked.

 

“I was helping Neelix bake a cake for Ensign Kyoto when the Captain stopped by and talked to us,” Naomi answered.

 

“But when they were about to begin, I decided to help a little bit and tugged on the plastic bag of cake mix,” Kathryn added. “Big mistake! And what’s ironic is that this happened right as Naomi was reading the instructions.”

 

Samantha and Chakotay laughed at the thought of how this mess unfolded. Chakotay then looked at Neelix and Naomi. “I can understand this happening with one or both of you…” he then turned his attention to Kathryn, “…but _you_? Of all the people on this ship?”

 

Kathryn rolled her eyes. “I wasn't thinking. You said that one day, my impatience would get me in trouble. Well, you were right. I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

 

Chakotay shook his head, “That’s what you get.”

 

“After what happened today,” Naomi said, “I think I should remember to ask a grown-up to cut the plastic bag open.”

 

“And probably avoid baking with me, as you can see,” Kathryn added with a smirk. She then looked down at herself. “After I help clean this place up, I’m going to have to beam directly to my quarters and hit the sonic shower. I don’t want anybody else to see me like this. Ugh, I can just see Tom spreading this story around the entire ship or Tuvok lecturing me." She then deepened her voice to imitate the Vulcan security chief, "I fail to see why you, the captain of this entire crew, would take such a trivial and illogical course of action," before finishing with her normal voice, "That would be embarrassing."

 

Naomi giggled and nodded. “I think I need one, too. And we need a new box of cake mix.”

 

“I can replicate that in my quarters,” Kathryn offered.

 

“Oh, Captain, you don’t have to,” Neelix assured.

 

Kathryn shook her head. “No, I made this mess, so I owe you two.”

 

She made good on her word. By the time Naomi and Neelix returned to the kitchen two hours later, a new box of cake mix was set on the counter with a note that read: “New box of cake mix right from my replicator. Sorry about the mess earlier. Good luck! — Captain Janeway”

 

Neelix and Naomi were eventually able to bake the perfect chocolate cake for Ensign Kyoto and had quite a story to tell once they gave it to her. But to protect the Captain from further embarrassment, they made sure Tom or Tuvok didn’t hear. And they made up a new mess hall rule: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. And if you're cooking the perfect dish, don't let the Captain help you!

 

 

***

 

 

Naomi couldn’t help but giggle.

 

“That was three weeks before my birthday,” Kathryn said with a smile as the mental picture faded, “And Commander Chakotay _still_ teases me about it. Don’t you remember?”

 

“I should, but I can’t,” Naomi was perplexed, “Why is that?”

 

“The Coda is keeping you from remembering all your good memories you shared with me,” Kathryn answered, “It somehow wants you to only remember those bad memories it made up to hurt you.”

 

Kathryn then proceeded to establish another telepathic link, showing Naomi a series of the pleasant memories they both had, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Any good memory counted. Naomi walked curiously toward the captain, silently staring into her clear, sea-blue eyes.

 

But then, the voice echoed in her mind again. This time, it was very irritated. _What are you doing? Don’t believe all that silly nonsense she’s showing you!_

 

The shockwaves struck Kathryn again, but this time there was no pain at all, just a tickling sensation. Kathryn’s face scrunched, trying to resist the temptation to laugh out loud. Then the shockwaves disappeared.

 

“No, no, no!” Naomi screamed, “Please, just leave me alone!”

 

_Naomi, you must kill her before it is too late!_

 

“Naomi,” Kathryn urged, “don’t listen to that voice. Focus.”

 

 

***

 

“The neurotoxin levels have dropped another five percent, but that’s still not enough,” the Doctor announced.

 

“Come on, Naomi,” Samantha urged, “you can do it.”

 

Chakotay gripped Kathryn’s hand tightly. _It shouldn’t be much longer, Kathryn. Keep it up._

 

 

***

 

 

Naomi didn’t know what to think. On one hand, the voice in her head was showing the evil Captain Janeway, but on the other hand, she was seeing the kind Captain Janeway. She held her head in her hands, the confusion morphing into intense pain. Kathryn was still physically weak from the last major shock wave, but her telepathic link was working. This newfound hope was reigniting the fire of determination in her heart.

 

“Naomi,” she urged, “look at me.”

 

With a slight struggle, Naomi looked straight into the eyes of the commanding officer. She saw a mixture of genuine compassion, fear, and abject love. A love almost maternal.

 

“I don’t know what to do!” Naomi cried, “My head hurts so bad!”

 

“Naomi, honey,” Kathryn used the gentlest tone of voice she had, “I know it hurts, but you need to stay strong. These evil thoughts are not real and they will kill you if you let them. What I’ve shown you is the truth. We may not have spent a lot of time together, but I’ve been a part of your life since they day you were born, and I’ve watched over you from afar. Watching you learn, watching you explore, and watching you grow. And ever since you decided to become Captain’s Assistant, I’ve wanted teach you all that I know about space exploration, Starfleet Command, and what it takes to lead an entire crew.”

 

“To teach me how to be a perfect captain, like you?” Naomi shakily asked.

 

Kathryn sighed. “No. As hard as it may be to believe, I am not perfect. Far from it, actually. I’m the one responsible for getting this ship stranded here in the Delta Quadrant. I destroyed the array that brought us here and was our surefire way home. It was to save the Ocampa from the Kazon Ogla. Their Caretaker pleaded with us to save them, and there was no other way to help them. I couldn’t live with myself if I left a vulnerable alien species to die at the hands of these violent adversaries for our own benefit. Of course, not everybody agreed with my choice, and I’ve had to deal with the consequences.” 

 

She could feel tears welling in her eyes. “I’ve watched people die on this journey. Many of those people were members of this crew. A handful of crew members did not survive the rough ride through the badlands that led us here, but many more died while on duty over the last four years. Even though most of them were prepared to die doing their jobs, I have to live with the intense guilt on my conscience. They relied on me to get them home, and I failed them. Even so, I still have a whole crew under my command and they need me. And I need them to be there for me when the going gets tough, when I need my moral compass adjusted. And, most importantly, I need you. Your cheerfulness is the light shining through my dark world, and your optimism is what gives me the strength to keep going, with the hope of reaching the Alpha Quadrant and bringing you and everyone else home.”

 

“I-I’m…your light…your strength?” Naomi was stunned.

 

“Yes,” Kathryn smiled warmly. “You always have been. And you always will be.”

 

Naomi’s eyes widened with surprise. Kathryn took the opportunity to establish another telepathic link. This next memory, she believed, would be the most important one of all.

 

 _Don’t listen to her!_ The voice screamed in her head, but Naomi was hardly listening to it. _No. No! NO!_

 

***

 

Kathryn walked towards Samantha’s quarters, her heart fluttering with excitement. The ship wide disaster caused by the proton bursts was finally at an end. Although there was still extensive damage to the ship, the arrival of a new life, the first aboard _Voyager_ , was enough to bring hope back into the Captain’s heart.

 

Kathryn pressed the button activating the door chime.

 

“Come in,” Samantha’s voice called from the other side. The doors opened, and Kathryn walked in.

 

“Captain,” Samantha stood to attention, holding Naomi in her arms.

 

“At ease,” Kathryn reassured her. “I know you still need rest, and time to adjust to motherhood.”

 

“Thank you, Captain," Samantha sighed.

 

"How's Naomi doing?”

 

They both knew that the infant was from the other _Voyager_ , along with Ensign Kim, but she was still Samantha's baby as far as they were concerned.

 

“She’s fine. I just finished feeding her.”

 

“That’s good,” Kathryn smiled warmly. “I wanted to give her the blanket I just finished.”

 

“Thank you, Captain,” Samantha beamed.

 

After setting the blanket on the table, Kathryn took a moment to look at Naomi. Her face was filling with delight just watching her breathe serenely.

 

“Would you like to hold her, Captain?” Samantha asked with a smile.

 

Kathryn gasped, “Can I really?”

 

“I trust you, Captain,” Samantha reassured her. “And since you’ve been nothing short of wonderful in supporting me all this time, this is my way of returning the favor.”

 

Kathryn felt her heart skip a beat. “Oh, I would love to hold her!”

 

“Sit on the couch and make yourself comfortable.”

 

After seating herself comfortably, Samantha walked over and gently handed little Naomi to the Captain. Despite not being a mother herself, Kathryn’s maternal instincts kicked in as she adjusted her arms and hands to properly cradle her. To her surprise, Naomi seemed to be perfectly at ease with her.

 

“You are a born explorer,” Kathryn softly whispered with a warm smile. "Oh, I was anxiously waiting for this day to come. Just seeing you here tells me that somehow everything will be alright on this journey. The space we are traveling through is unknown, vast, and often dangerous. But as a crew, we stick together through thick and thin. Whatever we face, we face it together.

 

"I can already tell that, along with beautiful, you are strong, intelligent, kind, and passionate. Just like me. But I have the feeling that somewhere deep inside your heart and soul, you have something extra. And that something extra will come in very handy for you, me, and this entire crew."

 

Naomi's arm wriggled free from the blanket. Her tiny hand was outstretched, like it was reaching for something. Kathryn watched as Naomi's fingers wiggled around before she finally set her arm down. She gasped when she found the baby's hand resting on the heart of the _Voyager_ captain.

 

Kathryn felt a tear on the brink of falling, the joy overwhelming her. Naomi was already bonding with her! Kathryn knew that she wasn't always the easiest person to get along with, much less love. But right now, what mattered was that she was going to give her the love and guidance she could offer as both a starship captain and as a friend.

 

"Given the uncertainty of this journey, I can't make any guarantees regarding what will happen. But I can promise you this; whatever happens, you are not alone and you never will be. Please know that wherever I am, and wherever you are, I'll always be here for you. And I hope you'll be there for me, too.”

 

Kathryn looked up at Samantha, who was crying tears of sheer joy, before shifting her attention back to the sleeping infant. For the next few minutes, words were not needed to express the love and joy in Kathryn Janeway’s heart.

 

 

***

 

 

Naomi stared at the Captain, her expression softening as tears began to fall.

 

“That was after I was born…” She muttered, just enough for Kathryn to hear, “…I felt so safe in your arms. You were so happy.”

 

“Yes,” Kathryn replied.

 

Naomi started to move toward the Captain, hesitatingly holding out a hand in front of her. But before she could move any further, the voice echoed in her head again.

 

 _Naomi, why are you listening to her?!_ The voice demanded, _Destroy her now! If you don’t—_

 

“Stop!” Naomi screamed, holding her head in her hands, “I can’t stand this pain!”

 

_She is the reason you feel this pain._

 

“No! I don’t want to believe that.”

 

“Then don’t,” Kathryn urged her on, “Keep believing what I’ve shown you. Open your eyes to the truth.”

 

 

***

 

 

“The Coda is losing it’s grip on Naomi,” the Doctor announced, “The neurotoxin levels are dropping rapidly. Looks like the Captain is getting through to her.”

 

“The Coda is not giving up, though,” Chakotay warned, “It’ll all depend on whether or not Naomi accepts the truth.” He smiled faintly, “And she should be able to.”

 

Samantha held Naomi’s hand. “Come on, honey, keep fighting the Coda. The Captain is there to help you.”

 

 

***

 

 

The Naomi in the sphere writhed in desperation as her mirage counterpart struggled to break free from her brainwashing.

 

“Naomi,” Kathryn encouraged, “you can do it. Break free of the Coda’s control. Keep fighting.”

 

Naomi stumbled back and forth as her internal battle raged on. “I’m trying,” she cried out, “But he’s too strong. Help me—NO! It’s time to end this!”

 

“Naomi,” Kathryn called out.

 

“It’s time….” Naomi snarled.

 

“Naomi!”

 

“TO DIE!!!” Naomi prepared to unleash another shockwave pulse.

 

“NAOMI!!!!!!!!”

 

… … … …

 

Naomi stood frozen. Her attention was focused on the object in the captain’s hand. Kathryn held out her music box, the soft melody emanating from it.

 

“Naomi, remember this? You gave this to me on my birthday last month. I’ve treasured this ever since you gave it to me.”

 

Naomi’s body shook, “That song…is that ‘Dark Sky Island’?”

 

“Yes,” Kathryn whispered, “Please remember how hard you worked to give this to me. I use it help me sleep when I’m feeling restless. It also helps me chase away my nightmares, so let it chase away yours.” 

 

Naomi cautiously placed her hand on the charm. In an instant, a bright light shone from it and she was overwhelmed by a gentle warmth.

 

 

***

 

 

Samantha and Naomi walked down the Deck 2 corridor on their way to the mess hall. She had a small object wrapped in a fancy paper wrap and adorned with a red silk ribbon. It was May 20th, Captain Janeway’s birthday. Every crew member off duty gathered in the mess hall to celebrate, courtesy of Neelix. 

 

It was almost Naomi’s bedtime, but Samantha decided that it would be best for her to give the Captain her present personally.

 

Upon entering the mess hall, Neelix turned and smiled. “Ah, Samantha, Naomi,” he greeted enthusiastically, “I see you came to give the Captain your gift.”

 

“I hope she likes it,” Naomi said, a hint of nervousness in her tone. “You and I worked very hard on it.”

 

“I’m sure she will,” Samantha reassured her before turning to Neelix. “Where is she? It’s almost Naomi’s bedtime, so she should give it to her now.”

 

Neelix led them to the table near one of the viewports, where Captain Janeway was seated with several crew members. “Captain, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got two crew members wanting to see you.”

 

Kathryn turned. “Oh, hello, Samantha, I just opened your gift. I actually needed new paintbrushes, so thank you very much.”

 

“Well,” Samantha replied, “It’s just for a few minutes. I wanted Naomi to give her gift to you before she goes to bed.” Naomi stepped out from behind her, enough for the captain to notice.

 

Kathryn smiled warmly, “Hello, Naomi. I’m so glad you could be here.”

 

“Happy Birthday, Captain,” Naomi said as she sheepishly held out her gift. “I have a present for you and I hope you will accept it.”

 

“You do?” Kathryn beamed, taking the gift and proceeding to open it. She liked the feel of the ribbon, so she put it with her other gifts, figuring she’d find some use for it later.

 

 Once the paper was unwrapped, Kathryn’s eyes glimmered. She picked up the star charm and examined it.

 

“Naomi, it’s beautiful.”

 

“Open the center piece,” Naomi pointed out.

 

Kathryn opened the compact piece, and the melody began to play. “It’s a music box,” she gasped. Tears began to fill her eyes once she recognized the song as ‘Dark Sky Island’.

 

“Oh, I love this song,” she whispered.

 

“I had this idea to make something that played music for you,” Naomi explained, “Neelix told me that was one of your favorites. We were able to make it ourselves.”

 

“Well, I helped with the primary construction, but most of the credit goes to her,” Neelix added, “It was her idea, and she did most of the work. Especially with the streak.”

 

“You _made_ this for me?” Kathryn was overjoyed. The child had gone through all that trouble give her something this exquisite. And it was undoubtedly made with love.

 

“Oh, Naomi,” Kathryn held out her arms, allowing Naomi to wrap hers around her for a hug. “That’s so sweet of you. Thank you.”

 

“So you like it?” Naomi asked as they parted.

 

“I love it,” Kathryn held the charm close to her heart, “I’ll always treasure it.”

 

“I’m so happy to hear that,” Naomi smiled.

 

“That’s sweet of you Naomi,” Samantha praised before reminding her that it was almost bedtime. She turned to the captain. “Captain, would you mind if I took two slices of your cake so we can eat them in our quarters?”

 

“Not at all. I hope you enjoy it,” Kathryn answered. “Naomi, thank you for coming tonight. I hope you have a good night’s sleep.”

 

“You’re welcome,” Naomi replied, “You have a great evening.” They shared one last hug before mother and daughter left the mess hall, each with a plate of a Jibelian fudge cake slice. With a belly full of delicious cake and the warmth of her mentor’s embrace lingering, Naomi went to sleep happier than she had ever remembered. Kathryn, meanwhile, was able to use the music box to find peaceful dreams of her own later that night.

 

 

***

 

 

Naomi was moved. “You loved my present. You actually treasure my gift.” She looked into the Captain’s eyes. “But, I don’t understand. Why would you put yourself in danger to save me?”

 

Kathryn smiled warmly, “Because I consider you a valued member of my crew. You are loved by everyone; your mom, Neelix, Tom, Chakotay, everyone….and me. Never forget that.” She held out her free hand in front of her.

 

Naomi smiled, warm tears flowing down her cheeks. “I believe you now.” She placed her hand in the captain’s and allowed Kathryn to pull her close in a warm embrace.

 

A few seconds after Kathryn wrapped her arms around her, the mirage Naomi disappeared. She heard the sound of cracks forming in the sphere the real Naomi was inside. The plasma leaked out of the cracks until the pressure caused the sphere to burst, dropping Naomi onto the ground.

 

“Naomi!” Kathryn lunged forward, the now brittle vines breaking off and setting her free. No longer feeling any damage from the shockwaves, she ran towards the unconscious child and eased her into her arms, holding her head with one hand.

 

“Naomi? Naomi, wake up.”

 

 

***

 

 

“Naomi’s mind control has been broken,” Chakotay announced happily, “She’s done it!”

 

“ALL RIGHT!!!” Neelix and Tom cheered simultaneously.

 

The Doctor smiled as he checked the monitor. “The Coda’s presence in Naomi’s brain is weakening to the point where it’ll dissipate once they regain consciousness.”

 

“Now all they need to do is wake themselves up with the three wrist taps, and it’ll be all over,” Chakotay concluded.

 

“Oh, thank Gods,” Samantha breathed a huge sigh of relief, rushing over to the surgical bay so she would be the first person Naomi saw when she woke up.

 

“I’ll prepare a hypospray to neutralize the last of the neurotoxins,” The Doctor said.

 

Chakotay held Kathryn’s hand in his own. _You did it, Kathryn. I knew you could do it._

 

 

***

 

 

“…Mmm…mm…”

 

“Naomi? Naomi, honey, it’s time to wake up.”

 

“…Mmm.” Kathryn watched as Naomi’s eyes fluttered open.

 

At first, Naomi could only see a blur, but as it cleared up, the face of Captain Kathryn Janeway painted itself into her vision.

 

“C-Captain?” The little girl muttered as she slowly sat up, “I-I can’t hear the voice anymore.”

 

“Oh, Naomi,” Tears began to fall down Kathryn’s cheeks as she pulled Naomi into a tight embrace. “I’m so glad you’re alright. I was so worried.”

 

Naomi wrapped her arms around the shuddering captain. “So all that I saw were…just bad dreams?”

 

“Yes,” Kathryn answered softly as she pulled Naomi back to make eye contact, “Just nightmares. We’re still in the dream world, but the nightmares are over.”

 

“The nightmares…What happened was—“

 

“I know, I saw them all. And they were **very** scary.”

 

Naomi’s eyes began to water. “I’m sorry, Captain. I didn’t mean for all this to happen. I should’ve told you sooner.”

 

“No,” Kathryn reassured, placing her palm onto Naomi’s cheek, “It wasn’t your fault. In fact, I’m sorry I didn’t realize how scared you truly were.” She quirked her mouth to one side. “But you were so brave fighting the voice in your head. And you didn’t let it control you. I’m so proud of you.”

 

Naomi smiled and leapt into Kathryn’s arms for another hug. “Thank you! Thank you for saving me.”

 

Kathryn returned the hug wholeheartedly. “You’re most welcome.”

 

“You’re the best starship captain ever.”

 

Kathryn chuckled, “I don’t know about that, but thank you. And I know you’ll be the best Captain’s Assistant.”

 

For a moment, they stayed in their warm, safe embrace until Kathryn rose, bringing Naomi to her feet. “I’d say it’s definitely time for us to wake up and return to the real world, where your mom and the rest of the crew are waiting for us.”

 

“How do we do that?”

 

“It’s simple. There’s a trick that I learned from Commander Chakotay. You tap the back of your wrist three times, and voila, we’re awake.”

 

Naomi raised her left hand, preparing to tap her wrist on cue. “I hope I never have bad dreams like this again.”

 

“Me too,” Kathryn replied. She raised her own hand. “You ready?”

 

Naomi nodded, “Ready.”

 

“Okay. 1. 2. 3.” Kathryn and Naomi both tapped their wrists…

 

… … … Nothing happened.

 

“It didn’t work,” Naomi gasped.

 

“Let’s try again. 1. 2. 3.” They tapped their wrists again, but they were still in the dream world. “What?”

 

“What’s wrong?” Naomi was getting very nervous. “Why aren’t the taps working?”

 

“I don’t know, Naomi,” Kathryn answered, confusion forming on her face, “It should’ve worked the first time.”

 

No sooner than she had said that, lightning tore through the sky violently and a deafening thunder boomed, loud enough to scare both girls. Naomi wrapped her arms around the captain in a panic.

 

“Okay, that’s not good.” Kathryn muttered, stroking the little girl's back to calm her down.

 

“The sky is getting darker,” Naomi said shakily. Kathryn looked up and saw that the sky was changing into a darker shade of purple. _Now what?_

 

Suddenly, a new mass of black vines burst from the ground and ensnared both Kathryn and Naomi, lifting them both off the ground. The vines then divided, tearing them apart.

 

“Captain!”

 

“Naomi!”

 

They both struggled to break free, but the vines held them like insects caught in a spider web.

 

A voice echoed from out of nowhere. “Naomi Wildman, you naughty, naughty girl. Disobeying me was a baaaaaad thing to do. Now I’m going to have to punish you. And you, Captain Janeway, I’ve been waiting a long, long time for the day we’d meet again, the day I’d get my revenge.”

 

Kathryn’s heart dropped. _Oh, no! I know that voice._

 

A black cloud appeared in front of them, and began to grow. A shadowy figure appeared behind it.

 

 

***

 

 

“What’s this?!” The Doctor was aghast at the sudden reversal of fortune, as was indicated by the warning signal blaring on the monitor. “The Coda’s presence has increased tenfold in Naomi’s brain! And now the Captain’s brain is showing signs of invasion! The neurotoxin levels have increased by twenty-five percent on both of them.”

 

“What’s going on?!” Samantha cried.

 

“I don’t know,” Chakotay grunted, the pain becoming unbearable, “The Coda isn’t trying to brainwash Naomi again, so it must be trying to do something else. I sense another evil presence at work.”

 

“You’ve _got_ to be kidding me!” Tom exclaimed.

 

“What do we do?” Neelix demanded.

 

“NO!!!” Chakotay screamed aloud, before hunching forward. “My link with the Captain has been severed. I can’t see the dream anymore.”

 

The Doctor then noticed that the monitor was showing a visual transmission. The viewscreen showed Kathryn and Naomi entangled in the vines. “This must be the dream world they’re trapped in. We’re able to see it now.”

 

“But, how? Why?” Neelix asked.

 

“I’m not sure,” the Doctor answered, “but whoever is responsible for this apparently wants us to witness their nightmare.”

 

Then, the ominous voice was heard from the monitor. The Doctor’s expression changed to reflect horror.

 

“Oh, no! Not him. What’s he doing here?!”

 

“What? Who is it?” Chakotay asked as he made his way to the monitor along with Tom, Samantha, and Neelix.

 

The Doctor struggled to keep his composure. “Someone I hoped was gone forever.”

 

 

***

 

 

The black cloud faded, revealing a clown-like humanoid with a bicolored face; one side white, the other side gray. He wore a gray cloak with a matching hood, gloves, and footwear.

 

“It’s you!” Kathryn cried out. Naomi could tell from the horrified expression on her face that he was someone she had dealt with before.

 

The Clown struck a pose with a sinister grin. “Heeeeeeee’s baaaaaaaaack!”

**Author's Note:**

> No copyright infringement intended. This story was written purely for creative purposes and the enjoyment of others.
> 
> Star Trek: Voyager and all its characters created by Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor. Based upon "Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry. Copyright goes to Paramount Studios and CBS Television Distribution.
> 
> "Dark Sky Island" originally performed by Enya, lyrics by Roma Ryan. Copyright goes to Aiglé Music, Warner Music UK, and Reprise Records.


End file.
